Pre-Resolution New Year's Eve Bash

We do it every year. Every January 1st we sit down and write a list of resolutions. "I'm going to lose weight." "I'm going to start exercising." "I'm going to read more." We know they never last, but it's a good start to the new year. December 31st is our last chance to really let loose and misbehave before we make those resolutions. So, host a pre-resolution bash and have fun doing all those things you'll swear off tomorrow! (Another name for this party is Drunk and Stupid, but I'll stick with a Pre-Resolution Bash!)

New Year's Eve bash Invitations
Party411 has a great selection of personalized New Year's invitations. Our whimsical ticket invitations are also great fun; it can be a "ticket to misbehave"! Letting people know it's a pre-resolution party will get everyone excited for a night of naughty behavior. Here's a fun intro that works for the invitation:

We've got one more night before our resolutions begin!
Come to our Pre-Resolution New Year's Party!

Drinking, Fatty Desserts and Fun!

(You can even gossip about people here!)

Time to drink champagne and dance on the table!

Join us for one last naughty night in 2016!

Add some festive star confetti to the envelope to get them even more excited about the party.

New Year’s Eve Party Decorations and Party Supplies
People will be acting silly at your party, so get them started by dressing them for New Years Eve! Choose a theme kit that has top hats, tiaras, noisemakers and more. Kits are available in an assortment of sizes so you can make sure there is enough for everyone.

Decorate with traditional New Years Eve party decorations like balloons and custom New Year's Eve banners. You can even leave up your Christmas decorations as long as you tell people you resolve to put it all away tomorrow!

Have some fun themed areas set up as well. Base them all on resolutions of course:

In front of your most comfortable couch, have a TV playing exercise DVDs. Hang a big sign on the TV that says, "No Exercising Allowed!". Fill end tables with piles of junk food, like chips and pretzels. A mini fridge filled with beer is also a nice touch.

Encourage an evening of boozy shenanigans with bunches of champagne bottle metallic balloons. Tie the balloons to champagne bottles, which guests can pop and enjoy before the big ball drops!

People often want to learn something new in the New Year. You want to prevent that! Set up a display with books, cooking equipment, knitting supplies, etc. Then cover it with caution tape and add a sign, "Learn something new tomorrow!"

Of course, a major resolution for people is to quit smoking. This is one I'm actually a big fan of - I'd love to see everyone quit! Outside you can set up a smoking area for people to enjoy their last cigarettes! (Make sure this area is away from the people who don't smoke and don't want to be near it.)

Don't forget to also encourage the vices of your guests with tables, a menu, and bar that will make them forget their resolutions!

New Years Tables and Bar
Mix and match New Year's Eve paper goods for the party. (You'll resolve to get organized tomorrow!) Use your Christmas decorations (again) as a centerpiece. Fill an extra large tall vase with ornaments. It's a beautiful look and works with the theme. Follow these tips and tricks for your menu and bar:

You don't have to serve dinner at your Pre-Resolution party. First of all, people will be there until midnight, so starting at dinner time leads to an extra long party. Second, you can just let people know you're resolving to learn how to cook tomorrow!

On the other hand, if you do decide to serve dinner, why not get takeout? Serve a variety of takeout foods, like pizza, Chinese, Mediterranean, and Indian, and have a sign on the buffet that says, "I resolve to learn how to cook next year!"

Stock your bar with high calorie sodas and lots of alcohol. Since people will be drinking a lot, add some excitement to their drinks by serving them in light up glasses. Then there is always the option of a keg and shots. (Try some themed shot glasses!) Heck, it's New Years!

Remember, just because it's New Years doesn't mean people shouldn't be safe. Make sure to have designated drivers and post numbers for local cab companies. Your guests will thank you later for it!

Go all out with dessert. Because many people swear off chocolate for their resolutions, a chocolate fountain works perfectly for this theme. Have a great assortment of goodies to dip - pretzels, marshmallows, cookies, fruit and more.

Be sure to have lots of chocolate cakes and cookies out for dessert as well. Jars full of candy work, too. A sign by this area can say "Help Yourself! (You can help other people tomorrow)".

Keep your guests entertained as well as fed before the big ball drops!

Pre-Resolution Activities

Guests will have no problem staying up till midnight with a few of our New Years Party Games. Try one of the games below, too, which are perfect for a Pre-Resolution theme party:

Set up a resolutions board at the party. It's pretty simple. Cover a bulletin board with some fun New Years theme wrapping paper. Then set out small squares of paper and pens on a table. Let everyone write down a resolution and put it up on the board (with push pins). Or have them fill out their resolution list and put it in an envelope they address to themselves. You can send it to them in February (with some pictures from the party taken on a personalized camera), and they can have a friendly reminder of their goals.

How about a GUESS MY RESOLUTION game? Everyone writes down a resolution and they are put into a hat (I'd use a top hat, of course). Each person takes one out of the hat and reads the resolution. People then guess who made the resolution. Or you can have people write down who they think wrote the resolution and everyone can hold up their answers. The person who guesses the most correct, wins!

Have each person write down two resolutions that are lies and one that is the truth. Each person reads the resolutions aloud and other players guess which ones are the lies.

Give your guests some New Year's treats to remember your party, too! Handout small prizes from the dollar store to the game winners.

New Year's Party Favors

Your guests will be leaving after midnight, so send them home with a New Years resolution gift bag. Include a bottle of water with a personalized label, an apple and a jump rope to help them get started on their new "healthy" resolutions. Don't forget to put your goodies in favor bags! Check out these custom New Year's Eve favor bags. Try a few of these other favor ideas, too:

Fortune cookies are always a favorite. Leave some at the exit so guests can grab one or two before they go!

Buy a New Years Party Kit and guests can use the hats and noisemakers as the ball drops, and then take everything home as favors.

For a crowd that loves a little fun, hand out Ring Pops with a tag that says, "Ring in the New Year!"